Mercedes ML500 news - Take M and fire - 2007

As part of Mercedes' ongoing quest to steal all the world's horsepower and wedge it into ever-bigger engines, the ML500's V8 has been boosted from a mere 302bhp to 382bhp.

That gives performance a healthy extra dose of acceleration and sees 0-62mph drop to 5.8 seconds, which takes the ML500 slap bang into Porsche Cayenne territory.

Top speed rises to 155mph, while mid-rev torque swells to 391lb ft.

All this and the new ML500 is a little easier on gas, turning in 22mpg to the previous model's 21.1mpg.

The new engine creates a bit of clear air between itself and the 268bhp V6 in the ML350.

No word yet on possible price increases, but expect to see the new engine filtering through to the UK over the summer.